Draft-rigging for cars.



A. C. MCCORD.

DRAFT RIGGING FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-28, 1912.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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A. C. MCCORD.

omnmceme F 'R CARS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.28, I912.

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TED snares ALVIN CKMGCORD, GT CHICAGG, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-RIGGING non cans.

il,2,21l2. I Specification of Letters ratent. Pat ted "D 31 $913 Application filedDecember 28, 1912. Serial No. 759,039. F I

To all whom it may concern: ingbroken away-illustrating one form ol Be it known that 'I, Arvin C. MoCoRD, theimproved draw bar attachment a citizen of the United States, residin at Fig; 2 is a view of the parts slmwn in Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate Fig. l, chiefly in sid elevation. but With of Illinois, have invented certain new and some parts in vertical section;

useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging for Fig. 3 is a view partly in section on the Cars; and I do hereby declare the followline w m on Fig. 1, and partly in end els ing to be a full, clear, and exact description vation;' of the invention, such as will enable others Figs. i and 5 are views corresponding, .re-

skilled in the art to which it appertains to spectively, to Figs. 1 and 2, but illustrating make and use the same. a modified construction; and My invention relates to draft rigging for Figs. 6' and 7 are views also correspondcars and is particularly directed to an im? ing,.respectively, to Figs. 1 and 2, but illusproved connection between the coupler draw trating a still further modified construction. bar and yoke. Generally stated, the inven- Referring first to the construction illustion consists of the novel devices and comtrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 1 in= binations 'of devices hereinafter described dicates the draw bar of a coupler oi the and defined in the claims. 7 Master Car Builders type. The shank of Hitherto it has been customary in draw this draw bar 1 is preferably cast hollow bar attachments ofthe standard Master Car and is formed 'Wit" a horizontal key-way 2 Builders type, to rigidly connect the Tyipke extended through its vertical walls near to ese to the draw bar by means of rivets. its rear end.

. rivets have been found to be the weakest The followers 3 of the draft gear, which parts of the draft rigging. They are, submay be otthe standard or any suitable conjected to direct shearing strains and a} con struction, are shown as yieldingly pressedv stant twisting or bending which. makes against suitable adjustments or draft lugs 8o them either come loose or shear 03. An- 4, by means of a heavy coiled spring 5. other bad feature in this rigid riveted con-- The draft yoke 6, which is preferably in nection between the yoke and draw bar, is the form of a crucible steel or malleable that in removing and renewing a coupler, casting, embraces the followers 3 and spring it becomes necessary. to lower the draw bar 5 and normally engages with the rear iolfrom its/normal position and to remove all lower.

of the rivets'and then to replace them with in this improved draft bar attachment, new rivets or bolts. the yoked is flexibly connected to the draw My invention provides an extremely simbar 1, through the intervention of a so-called ple and highly eficient flexible connection pocket 7. This pocket Z is preferably bifur on between the draw bar and yoke in which cated, so that it embraces the inner end of the said elements are operatively connected the draw bar 1, and serves as a sort of a by the application of a strong and heavy socket to receive the same. The side flanges key, and the removal of thiskey, which is of this so-called pocket 7 are formed with a very easy matter, permits the draw bar slots or key seats 8 that alinewith the slots as to be pulled out andsconnected from the or key seat 2 of the draw bar, so that the eke. This permits very quick and easy heavy connecting kev 9 is adapted to be insubstitution of one draw bar for another. sorted through ,the said seats 2 and 8, to

My invention also involves other novel thereby couple the said draw. bar to the said and highly important "features which will pocket. At the inner endportion of the be hereinafter more fully disclosed. 1 said pocket 7, it is provided with laterally In the accompanying drawings which spaced bearing lugs 10 that engage the'outer illustrate several forms of the present invenfollower 3 at points on opposite sides of the tion, like characters indicate like parts axial center of the draft gear, which axial throughout the several views. Referring to center is indicated in Fig. 1 by'the broken the drawings, line marked 7 Figure 7 1 is a view partly in plan" and The outer ends of the prongs of the draft partly i horizontal section, some parts beyoke 6 are connected to the top and bottom flanges 12 of said trunnions, and thus interlock the said trunnions to the said pocket and thereby positively'hold the prongs of the draft yoke 6 against vertical spreading movements. The outer extremities of the slots 13 are opened so that the flanged trun-.

nions 11 may be inserted into the said slots 13. The inner'extremities of the slots 13 are rounded so that they form hearings in the trunnions and permit horizontal, angular or pivotal movements of the draw bar 1, in respect to the said yoke 6.

Obviously, the key 9 should be applied in the slots 2 and 8 of the draw bar 1 and ocket 7, respectively, after the said bracket has been coupled to the draft yoke, and after the draw bar has been shoved back to position therein. When it is desired to remove the draw bar or coupler it is only necessary to remove the key 9 and then to pull the said draw bar directly out of position 'by endwise movement on the line of the axis of the draft gear. Obviously, a new or substitute draw bar or coupler may be ap plied simply by inserting the same endwise into the pocket, then applying the coupling key 9.

With the construction above described, it will be noted that the spring 5 normally holds the followers 3 closely pressed against the cooperating draft lugs 4 and also normally holds the outerfollower 3 against the bearing lugs 10 of the coupling pocket 1 7. This engagement of the lugs 6 with the said follower tends to hold the draw bar 1 in a central or intermediate normal position. The spring 5, of course, is thus made to serve as a yielding medium for keeping the draw bar normally centered. However, in traveling a curve the draw bar 1 may assume an angular position indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 1, and in doing so, will put no lateral strains on the draft yoke 6 and no' bending strains on any of the parts 0 the draft rigging. In fact, there are no cramping actions or unnecessary strains, whatever,,put upon the elements of the draft rigging, and the flexible connection above noted permits the draw bar to assume a natural position whether traveling on a straight or on a curved track, and under normal conditions when the coupler is free,

lower, of course, remains stationary while the draw bar will be held in its central position.

Under bumping strains, the draw bar 1 will force the pocket 7 and front follower 3 rearward or inward with it, but will not force the draft yoke 6 rearward, because the trunnions 11 are free. to slide in the. slotted trunion seats 13 of the said bracket. Under draft strains, the front outer.fol-

the draw bar 1, pocket 7, yoke 6 and inner follower, all move together. This improveddraft bar attachment is of extremely simple construction, is very strong and durable and, as already stated, permits the coupler draw bar to be very easily and quickly connected to or disconnected from the the draft yoke anchother cooperating parts of the draft rigging.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5,.the draw bar 1 and yoke 6 are shown as identically of the same con- 1 struction as in Figs l to 3, inclusive, and the pocket 7 is of substantially the same construction and arrangement, being provided with the same trunnion seats 13 andv retaining grooves 14*, but having longer key seatsS and having its rectangular rear end portion flush with the inner end of the draw bar 1. The same coupling key 9 is here employed.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the draw bar 1 and key 9 are of the construction previously described, but the yoke 6 in this modified arrangement is pro- 100 vided with longitudinal slots or trunnion seats 6 and the so-called pocket 7 is provided with flanged trunnions 7 that work in the said-seats 6 What I claim is:

1. In a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke and a pocket, one of said parts having trunnions and the other having longitudinally extending trunnion seats, the said trunnions and seats being so interlocked 110 as to permit a sliding longitudinal movement of the former while retaining the interlocked engagement. of a draw bar seated in and connected to said pocket.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination 115 with a yoke and. a pocket, one of said parts having trunnions and the other having longitudinally extending trunnion seats, said trunn ons and trunnion seats being so interlocked as to permit a sliding longitudinal 120 movement of the former while retaining the interlocked engagement. said seat being open at one end for the application and removal to permit a sliding longitudinal movement of the former, while retaining the interlocked engagement.

with which the said headed trunnions are interlocked with freedom for pivotal and sliding movements longitudinally of said 10 yoke, of a draw bar seated in and connected to said pocket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence at two witnesses.

ALVIN C. MCCORD.

Witnesses:

B. U. MIDDLEKAUFF, C. J. COPELAND. 

